Monday, September 20, 2010

I've found the internet to be a blessing and a curse. I tend to try to self-diagnosis myself, or my kids for any of our ailments. For example...my son is a talker. Once you get him started, you're lucky to get a word in edgewise. However, he is silent at school. As in does not talk. At. All. So, I looked it up on the internet. Of course, the first thing that pops up is Selective Mutism. Crap. He fits it to a T. He chats us up at home. He doesn't say a word at school (and never did his entire first 3 months of preschool in the spring). He has a HUGE vocabulary and remembers things that were only repeated once, and can then appropriately use them in a sentence. However, when it comes to preschool...this child doesn't speak. When he's asked a question, he doesn't answer. It's like he doesn't hear the person asking the question. So...we're taking a proactive stance. We went to the craft store and allowed our son to pick out some crafts to make his own chart. We then labeled it appropriate for what he's working on.

We're hoping that the positive reward will work in getting him to at least acknowledge someone speaking with him. So far...it's worked. (sigh of relief) Today is the real test. He has preschool again today. We'll see if it helps him open up at all. After all, there is a prize waiting for him once he gets enough stickers. (yes, I am bribing my child)

Do you use sticker charts for anything? If so, what? Have you found it effective?

4 comments:

A bribe is a prize to stop in-progress negative behavior. An incentive is a prize to start not-in-progress positive behavior. A fine line, but I cling to that distinction. :)

I have tried sticker charts for Elise but she hasn't been able to grasp the concept of needing to get multiple stickers to then get a prize. One of my friends took the prize and hung it up on display right next to the sticker chart and that worked to get over the hump of that logical leap. I think I'll try that with Elise.

We also have the Melissa and Doug responsibility chart but haven't successfully integrated it yet into our day. http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Magnetic-Responsibility-Chart/dp/B000GKES48

I really like that "incentive, not a bribe." Kadyn only recently started to grasp the concept of only one sticker each time and over time he will get the prize. He's picked going to the Bounce House as his prize and picked out all his own stickers that he'll put on his chart.

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First and foremost I am a daughter to the King of Kings. I am a wife to an amazing man and we've been married almost 9 years. I am blessed to have 3 amazing boys call me mommy: Kadyn (7), Kai (5) and Lukah (1). We also have identical twin angels that I miscarried. Life is crazy, but a good crazy.